Eternal
by jeffthemermaid
Summary: Emma and Regina get to grow old together. But nothing lasts forever, does it? One Shot.


"Oh god, remember that dirty pirate you fell hopelessly in love with?"

"Hey! He wasn't that dirty, just kinda, musky…"

Regina raised an eyebrow, giving her lover a playful push. "He was a dirty drunk and you know it."

Emma shook her head, smiling broadly as she snuggled back into Regina's warmth. "Nope. He was my solid second love and you can't change that."

Regina looked down at her in distaste. "Well maybe you should have married the pirate then."

"Oh, shut up." Emma laughed, kissing Regina's frail shoulder gently.

They were bundled up on the park bench by the lake in Storybrooke. The ground was frosted, the air still and cold. The elderly couple's breath puffed in great white clouds between them as they argued merrily. They were dressed in heavy coats and cuddled under a blanket, a thermos of hot cocoa between them, brewed to suit both their tastes with a nip of bourbon and a dash cinnamon.

Emma's hair had faded from golden to speckled grey. It was still long, reaching almost her waist. Today it was topped with a bright red woollen hat and her aged and shaky hands were encased in a pair of matching mittens.

The Saviours face was lined with many years of adventure, pain, and happiness. She had a few spots thanks to sun exposure, her young self far too silly and far too busy slaying dragons and saving the world to wear sunscreen. You could see remnants of her physical beauty, especially in her physique as she had remained fit and active throughout her decline into old age.

The former Queen was beside her, wrapped in a sapphire scarf, black leather gloves and her favourite pair of black high heeled boots. She would never stop wearing heels, even if she was on the highway to hell itself. She'd be going in heels. Regina's thick hair had thinned dramatically, and was stark white, her skin was still clear and flawless, though wrinkled with age and deathly pale. She was frailer than Emma, her bones protruding, the womanly curves of her youth lost to the illness she suffered.

After a life of the craziest adventures together, they'd grown inseparable, and Regina feared what would happen to Emma when she died. As a woman, she'd been blessed with three true loves. Daniel had been taken from her, as had Robin, and the pain of losing each had nigh on killed her, twice.

Emma had suffered similarly with Hook and Regina had no intention of making the person she cared about most feel that way again. They kept coming out to this bench every morning and reminiscing, distracting themselves from the inevitable.

They'd lived in bliss for decades, watching Henry grow into a man, crying at his wedding, holding his baby for the first time, missing him as his little family explored the world. They looked forward to his letters and missed him of course but he himself was old now, and they only had eyes for each other.

Regina had held Emma as she suffered the grief of losing her parents when they eventually withered and died, mere hours apart, first Charming, then Snow, their hared heart unable to go on without its half.

Emma had built Regina a new home, a castle, (a cabin really) just for the two of them to hide from the world. And she had cared for her when she got sick, never once changing how she looked at her queen, the same look of adoration and love present even during the roughest times.

And now the Evil Queen was doomed to die. How she had lived this long she had no idea. Due to her ghastly deeds, she severely doubted she deserved it. She had outlived her step-daughter for god's sake. And her sister Zelena, whom she didn't miss at all. Robins daughter she kept in contact with, but things weren't close, the girl had inherited very little Hood and bit too much Oz.

And here she was, at death door, with a certain stubborn Swan holding her back and refusing to let go.

"Emma, you know how passionately I love. I love Henry more than life itself, and yet I love you more." She turned slightly, her voice low and rough, to meet Emma's eye. "I love you Emma Swan, and damnit, you can't keep bringing me out here and holding onto me. I love you so I'm letting you go."

She cupped Emma's face, planting a kiss on her soft mouth. "Let me go Swan."

Emma shook her head, biting her lip, tears pooling in her eyes. "I can't let go."

Regina stood, her eyes flashing in anger, the blankets and flask tumbling to the ground. "Why not damnit?"

"Because I love you!" Emma sobbed, rushing to her own feet, ignoring the protest of her old bones, rushing to steady Regina as she swayed in her heels.

"You have to let me go, I'm dying."

Real tears were streaming down both of their faces, freezing in the cold air.

"No. I can't."

"Emma please," Regina began before her face twisted in pain, and, clutching her chest, she collapsed to her knee's suddenly.

"Regina!" Emma screamed, forcing her tired body to kneel and pull the Queen's head into her lap.

Regina's body was seizing, she was jerking rapidly, her body stiff as she gasped for air.

"No, no, no, not like this." Emma begged, her voice cracking as blood trickled out of Regina's nose.

Suddenly Regina stopped moving, inciting Emma's panic further as she lay still in her hands.

"No! Don't make me write to our son and tell him his mother is dead." Emma wailed, clutching Regina's stiff body to her as she rocked back in forth, eyes shut, grief overwhelming her. "Let me save you!"

Inside Emma's arms, Regina drew in a shuddering breath.

"You already saved me." She gasped hoarsely, her signature smile ghosting across her lips before her last breath froze in the air between them, life leaving her body.

Emma gulped back a sob, hugging Regina's body to her tightly, her hand clutching one of her dead lovers.

"I'm never gonna let you go." She whispered as a jolt of pain rammed through her heart. She keeled over, her body laying across Regina's, their hands still intertwined as Emma died only moments after her true love.

Frost settled over their bodies, the cold extinguishing them on earth, as their love continued onward, together forever in some place far from the pain of the ground.


End file.
